The labor pain is over and the baby is born! The joy of motherhood cannot stop the deep fatigue. Natural childbirth takes a lot of energy out of a new mother, and there are a few things you need to pay special attention to during the first hour after delivery. In just one hour after giving birth, a new mother\’s body will undergo the following changes. Some of these changes are visible, while others can only be felt by the mother herself.
1. Lochia appears.
About an hour after giving birth, you will experience heavy bleeding, which is leftover blood, mucus, and other tissue left in the uterus. The blood volume will gradually decrease, first dark red, then pink, and finally brown. Postpartum bleeding lasts about 6 weeks.
Tip: Prepare some maternity shorts and sanitary napkins before admission, change them frequently and keep them clean.
2. The placenta detaches.
Between about five minutes and two hours after delivery, the placenta breaks away, creating a hand-sized wound in the uterus. After the placenta has detached, the midwife will carefully check to see if the placenta is intact. If any remains in the uterus, it can cause uterine bleeding.
Tip: The placenta only weighs about 500g, which is about 1/6 of the baby\’s weight. The surface is soft and smooth. Under normal circumstances, it slides off the vagina without pain. 3. The uterus shrinks.
After delivery, the uterus rapidly shrinks from the size of a medicine ball to the size of a watermelon due to the action of the contractile muscles of the uterine wall. Tocotropin is still circulating in the blood, causing new mothers to feel pain similar to that of childbirth.
Tip: The hormones that promote pain also help awaken maternal feelings in new mothers, prompting young mothers to pick up and care for their babies.
4. Instinct reset.
During pregnancy, the heart, liver, stomach and lungs are pushed up by the uterus, and after delivery they regain more space and begin to gradually return to their original positions. This makes people feel relaxed. But the slipping of these organs can also be uncomfortable for a new mother at first.
2 Notes for new mothers
1. Start breastfeeding as early as possible
If conditions permit, mothers must let their children eat the nipple as soon as possible. A newborn\’s sucking reflex is strongest between 20 and 30 minutes after birth. Most babies are ready and even eager to feed on their mother\’s nipple. If this golden time is missed, the baby\’s sucking reflex will weaken within a day and a half, which may affect the smooth start of breastfeeding. The baby\’s sucking can also stimulate the mother\’s uterine contraction and reduce uterine bleeding.
Tips: After the baby is born successfully, what new mothers need most is a quiet rest. After feeding, the family can leave quietly for a while, or just stay alone, allowing the new mother to have a good sleep and relieve fatigue.
2. Replenish water in time
Childbirth puts the body through severe tests, Mom’s weak body is in urgent need of nutritional supplements. Even if you don\’t feel like eating anything, force yourself to eat slowly and at least drink some water, otherwise you\’re likely to become dehydrated. Tips: Consuming enough carbohydrates in the first meal is helpful for energy recovery; protein can quickly repair the body; fresh fruits and vegetables can be diuretic and laxative; rich iron and vitamin C, which helps iron absorption, are also essential nutrients. , can help the body recover from blood loss in production. In addition, when feeding your baby, a lot of calcium will be lost from the bones, so calcium must be replenished in time.